This document contains the first-person account of a loyalist during the American Revolution. It describes key events from the loyalist's perspective, including the Boston Massacre in 1770, the Tea Act of 1773, the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Battle of Trenton in 1776 where Washington surprised Hessian soldiers, witnessing his wife die at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, and ultimately regretting fighting for the British after their defeat. The loyalist loses everything over the course of the war - his friends, his perspective on the king, and ultimately his wife - leaving him alone with only regret and shame.

1. American Revolution
Alex Heinemann

2. Shots of the Massacre
A little painting I made of what I saw.
Kind of Graphic and the British look
powerful!
March 6th 1770
How dare those colonists cause such a riot in the town square! I blame them for
everything, the deaths and the injuries of this massive crisis. Boston has been a fine
place until they got bloody mad at King George III for taxing them! Why? What is the
point, they know that the King will win in the end so don’t even try! Paying a little
extra cash for most things that we use, I am fine with that. King George and his army
saved us all from the Seven Year War. We should be thanking him not raiding
carriages to steal his gold.
I was minding my own business, when I looked out the window and saw the bloody
colonists attacking the British Soldiers! Everyone was standing in the town square,
cheering on the colonists. The soldiers then started to shoot at the colonists
(definitely for self-defense). Those colonists were armed with clubs, bats, and other
brutal tools to clobber the soldiers. The cobble stone was covered with a red carpet
of blood after a couple minutes.Soon I was unable to see anything because there
was a layer of white smoke looking like my grandfathers white curly beard. I was
only able to hear the gunshots, the shrill screams of terrified people, and the
screams of encouragement from the patriot’s wives and children. I was glad that
blanket of smoke formed because I could not stand to watch any more. If I was not
able to bare the brutality, then I will never be able to follow in my father’s footsteps,
as a soldier on the front line.
My good friend Captain Thomas Preston was the commanding officer yesterday,
and he was stuck in that situation. I went to visit him in the hospital and he had said
that his men did not start the massacre. It was the colonists, they started it and we
ended it. He also told me that some guy named Paul Revere is going to be
engraving this event so that all of us could remember the lost and the bravery of
these men. Well, mostly the colonists.
This event occurred yesterday and today it is all anyone can talk about! Everyone
calls it the Boston Massacre. My wife and her friends went out today to help the
wounded soldiers get patched up. Such a great women she is. Helps out for almost
every cause. We may have our disagreements about being a loyalist or a colonist
but we love each other. My wife, she is a colonist and she supported the colonists
going against the British yesterday. I don’t know how I live with it, but I do and I love
her every second. She calls the British soldiers Red Coats. I think it’s a derogative to
the soldiers. Don’t you think?

3. Tea for a Price!
May 11th
1773
King George III has created an amazing idea for the New World! We now have to
pay some taxes on our tea. Fore some people such as me, this is not a big deal
because. He saved us in the seven-year war. This is the least we can do to repay
him (Literally!). All the things he has done for us in the seven-year war was
beyond generous. King George is the King of our mother country. We all need to
give him the most amount of respect. The colonists are complaining about this
new act, because King George created more acts before this one. Sugar Act,
Stamp Act, Intolerable Act, Declamatory Act. Apparently they think that this is
unfair and that they are paying to much money to him. HE SAVED YOUR LIFE!
At least obey what he says, that’s the least you can do. I really don’t get how they
don’t like the King. He is an amazing person. I will do just about anything I can to
either meat him or serve under him.
My wife and I have had some arguments over the past couple of days due to the
taxes that have to be paid. We are not the richest and not the poorest, we can
afford to pay for the taxes, but some people that she knows are not as lucky.
They don’t have that much money and are almost completely out of money.
Those are the types of people I feel bad for, even if they despise the king. We
are all people, and we all at one point liked the king, so I think they are just like
me.
The King did not only enforce the tea act, but the sugar act and stamp act caused
a really big uproar with the patriots. The sugar act is basically people being taxed
on molasses, and sugar. My wife was relay upset because she would have to pay
a “bunch” of extra money on molasses and sugar to make her cookies. Again it is
all for a cause and I as a follower would like to contribute in this event. Then the
stamp act came. Did this cause a huge argument between my wife and I. We
almost split! It was horrible for us. Anyway, the King said that this would prove
that we have paid for anything that is made of paper. If you had the stamp on the
any of the paper that you bought then you have paid your taxes. I liked the
stamps. It contributed a lot of money to pay up for the seven-year war.
This cup of tea is going to cost a lot more than
that it did. Glad for the change!

4. Sign your John Hancock
July 5th
1776
I cannot believe what happened yesterday. America has created a document that
says they are free from Britain. The Declaration of Independence is going to be
uproar. People are going to be killed because of this signing. Might as well go
straight to the King and say “Hey, I hate you so I am going to live on your land and
follow my own rules and not yours.”
My wife has been out with her friend celebrating most of the night. The colonist,
now called patriots are very happy about this. I guess this means that I am free as
well, but I like the King. I will follow him until I die. I heard that John Hancock
signed his name the largest making sure that the British see his name. Maybe
because he wants them to know that he no longer follows him and loathes them. I
really don’t get how they could betray their King. After all he has done for us. It’s
just appalling.
Not only was the Declaration of Independence signed, but also on the document it
was talking about Natural Rights, everyone being equal. Meaning no more slaves,
or black people being treated poorly. I may not agree with the signing, but I do
agree with the natural rights. Everyone is the same. Nobody should be treated
wrongly or poorly because of what he or she may look like or how much money
they have. It’s just not fair! That’s the only good thing about the signing.
Believe me, things are going to change drastically, mostly in a bad way. I can feel if
something bad is going to happen, and right now I have that feeling. Well since I
have a bad feeling I am going to sign up to become a “redcoat”. It will bring in
some more money, because we are running out. Besides, my wife will think I am
brave (even though I am fighting on the “wrong side” she says). Yes, it may sound
a little silly. A man who could not watch the Boston massacre is joining one of the
most elite armies in the entire world. Well, you better believe it because it is going
to happen! I will be in the uniform in less than a month. I have been told how to
take care of it and the consequences. Apparently if my uniform is dirty I will get
whipped, and I have to put on my pants wet cause they are so tight. That’s not
going to be fun. Oh well, everything has a price and I am just glad I will be wearing
a red coat for the King.
My wife brought home this drawing of the Signing.

5. Blowing up in our Faces
December 26 1776
This was a complete and utter blow. Just after I joined the army, we celebrated the easy
win we were going to have. Since the Hessian’s are helping us in this very easy war, they
were celebrating with us. Apparently when we were all having a great time with the
wine, Washington and his men were crossing the Delaware River. That’s when it went
down hill.
Washington and his men attached the Hessian’s and caught them by surprise, knocking
them to their feet and killing some. It was an awful scene, especially for us men who
were to drunk to fight at this late hour. I have to admit that it was a very well planned
attack, for them it went just as they wanted it to. For us, it was a bust. The Battle of
Trenton only lasted 45 minutes, but in those 45 minutes we lost 22 men, a large amount
of supplies, and many Hessian’s were imprisoned. I was extremely lucky, I was not one
of the people taken or killed.
I’m not allowed to see my wife, but I bet when she hears about this attach she will be
cheering twice as loud as any other person. She is a very loyal patriot and loves this
country. I hope that she hopes that I was not injured or killed in this act, I don’t know.
She has not replied to any of my letters yet. Maybe they have been lost, or taken to the
wrong address (I hope).
Loosing this Battle to the Continental Army will not be a good impression with the King.
We may have won all of the battles until tonight, but this gives them hope and hope can
be dangerous for us. Giving them hope means that they get stronger, and more people
with join and then they will win! I cannot believe I am saying this. I must be over
exaggerating. The British army is the top in the world, how could we loose this war to
the Continental Army?
Most of my friends have been taken prison or killed. Trust me, George Washington will
pay for what he did. I will die trying if I have to, but I will get revenge and we will win
this war! They are all going to die, every single one of them. I don’t care the
consequences I will get revenge.
Washington giving his commands on the surprise
attack. Merry Christmas to you to Washington.

6. Death, Failure, and
Regret
September 4 1783
All I can say is, I really want to be dead. My wife was killed, all my friends are
dead, and we lost the war. The Battle of Yorktown was when I lost everything.
My wife was what was called a Molly Pitcher, giving water to the patriots. I saw
her, she was only a few hundred yards in front of me. That was the worst part. I
saw what happened to her, how her life ended. I saw my wife get killed. She just
lied there, not moving and nobody cared that she fell onto the grassy plain. Her
blood-spewing out onto the grass, covered with rubble, corpse’s, and ammo. She
looked liked she had a red river flowing from her head. I was the only one who
noticed any of this. I will never forget the awful scene that lied just yards away. I
don’t know how I will ever live without her.
Battle of Yorktown, the last battle I will ever fight and the last battle in the war.
They only won the war because of the bloody French! Giving them men,
firearms, and other very important supplies for battle. Also! They were not
playing “fair” or to human standers. Not fighting like an English man that’s for
sure, using Guerilla warfare is not a very appropriate way of fighting. Leaving us
proper English men that we are, in a baffling situation. Oh well, I guess we can
do nothing now since the Treat of Paris has been signed. Apparently the British
were really upset they did not pose for a painting, leaving it unfinished. A piece
of history that will never be finished, thanks to the British. Yes, I do not like the
King. I changed my mind, which does happen to some men.
As a man of war, I will live in regret and shame that I helped out the wrong
people. The patriots were right, we need to be free and the King is a monstrous
man. I remember myself being a person who would die to serve for him, and all
that bloody awful stuff. I guess when people say that war changes men, they are
right! Some people may think that I switched sides because I lost everything and
now have nothing better to do then become a patriot. I really have changed my
mind! My wife was right all along. I really should have listened to her while I had
the chance. Now I will never be able to tell her that she was right and I was
wrong. As I know that people will not forgive me of what I have done, I will live
alone and give myself a life sentence under house arrest.
Fighting to the death for most, wish I was one of them
right now.

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Beirne, Logan. "Lessons from the Founding: The Boston Massacre : Life of the Law." Life of the Law RSS. N.p., 25 Apr. 2013.
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